Apple crisp shortbread bars are an actual thing.
They're made with a shortbread crust, mascarpone filling, and honeycrisp apple and crumbly oat topping.
Truly the perfect dessert bars for the fall and holiday season!
![An overhead shot of a pan of apple crisp shortbread bars.](https://thehealthyepicurean.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Apple-Crisp-Shortbread-Bars-1-scaled.jpg)
How to make apple crisp shortbread bars
Featured Ingredients
For the shortbread:
- Butter: Any great shortbread recipe is made with real butter!
- Brown sugar: My favorite baking sweetener is dark brown sugar because it's rich in molasses.
- Egg yolk: To hold the shortbread together and provide some moisture.
- Flour: All-purpose works great here.
- Cornstarch: Just a tablespoon to bring everything together.
For the mascarpone filling:
- Mascarpone: Italian cream cheese that is rich and dreamy.
- Honey: A few tablespoons for sweetness.
- Egg: To hold it together.
- Vanilla: As I always say, flavor, flavor, flavor.
For the apple crisp topping:
- Apple: A thinly sliced firm apple works best.
- Oats: For the crumbly topping.
- Butter: Because it's delicious and adds moisture.
- Honey: A few tablespoons for sweetness and flavor.
- Cinnamon: Provides that classic apple crisp warm spice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer, until fluffy. Add the egg yolk and mix until fluffy.
- Slowly mix in flour, cornstarch and salt, until mixture forms small pea-sized balls (like pie dough).
- Press into an ungreased 8-inch brownie or cake pan. Bake 10 minutes, until shortbread starts to rise.
- Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whip mascarpone, honey, egg and vanilla extract with a hand mixer, until fluffy.
- When shortbread is slightly cooled, pour mixture onto the crust and spread evenly.
- In a mixing bowl, toss apple slices, oats, butter, honey and cinnamon until combined.
- Line apple slices on mascarpone filling, and sprinkle with remaining oat topping.
- Bake 30-40 minutes, until mascarpone filling is set.
- Allow to completely cool in the refrigerator or freezer before slicing.
Recipe Substitutions and Alterations
- For the butter: You could use coconut oil (but butter provides the best flavor).
- For the brown sugar: You can use light or dark brown sugar, or try a brown sugar substitute made with Swerve or stevia.
- For the flour: Try with all-purpose, whole wheat pastry, whole wheat white, whole wheat, oat or gluten free all-purpose flour.
- For the mascarpone: You could use cream cheese (full fat or low fat) instead.
- For the honey: Any sweetener will work.
- For the apples: Any firm, crisp apple will work, such as honeycrisp, gala or fuji.
Nutrition Considerations
- To make it gluten free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour.
- Be sure all other ingredients you choose are gluten free.
- To make it dairy free: Try with vegan cream cheese (although I haven't tested this).
- To make it vegan: Use coconut oil instead of butter.
- Try with vegan cream cheese.
- Use maple syrup or brown or white sugar instead of honey.
- Try with an egg substitute like Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer or make a flax 'egg' (although I haven't tested this).
- To make it nut free: This recipe does not contain nuts.
- Be sure all other ingredients you choose are nut free.
- To make it egg free: Try with an egg substitute like Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer or make a flax 'egg' (although I haven't tested this).
Holiday dessert recipes you'll love:
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Cranberry and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pears
- Brownie Crinkle Cookies with Peppermint White Chocolate
- Pumpkin Crumb Bars
- Oatmeal Apple Butter Cookies
- Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie
Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars
Apple crisp bars with a shortbread crust, mascarpone filling and honeycrisp apple and crumbly oat topping.
- Prep Time: 15-20 mins
- Cook Time: 45-50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr-1 hr 10 mins
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked, Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread:
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup flour*
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Mascarpone Filling:
- 8 ounce tub mascarpone
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Apple Crisp Topping:
- 1 large or 2 small apples (any variety), skins on, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup rolled old-fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer, until fluffy. Add the egg yolk and mix until fluffy.
- Slowly mix in flour, cornstarch and salt, until mixture forms small pea-sized balls (like pie dough).
- Press into an ungreased 8-inch brownie or cake pan. Bake 10 minutes, until shortbread starts to rise.
- Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whip mascarpone, honey, egg and vanilla extract with a hand mixer, until fluffy.
- When shortbread is slightly cooled, pour mixture onto the crust and spread evenly.
- In a mixing bowl, toss apple slices, oats, butter, honey and cinnamon until combined.
- Line apple slices on mascarpone filling, and sprinkle with remaining oat topping.
- Bake 30-40 minutes, until mascarpone filling is set.
- Allow to completely cool in the refrigerator or freezer before slicing.
Notes
Substitution Tip*: Try with all-purpose, whole wheat pastry, whole wheat white, whole wheat, oat or gluten free all-purpose flour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 179
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 32mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 27mg
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